Salsa Picante

Ingredients:
2 c Tomatoes, canned, with juice
1 sm Onion
2 Chile serrano
1 pn Sugar
Salt, to taste
Instructions:
Now are we talking about the mild, Old El Paso-type green chiles (which are a mild sort of chile poblano), or are we talking about jalapenos and serranos? It makes a buncha difference. Salsa picante (which is what we mean when we talk about "salsa" down here) is made with one or both of the last two. Acting on the presumption that it's salsa picante that you mean, here's a recipe. One serrano equals two jalapenos. If you use jalapenos, removing the veins from the inside will make it less hot.

Roasted Corn Salsa

Ingredients:
5 Ears fresh corn
3/8 c Fresh morels or other wild
-mushrooms, cleaned and
-diced
4 ts Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c Sun dried tomatoes, finely
-diced with 1 tsp. of their
-oil
2 lg Poblano chiles, roasted,
-peeled, seeded and diced
2 ts Marjoram
1 Clove garlic, roasted,
-peeled and chopped
1 ts Adobo sauce from chipotel
-chilies in adobo sauce
1/2 ts Fresh Mexican lime juice
1/2 ts Kosher salt
Instructions:
With a sharp knife cut corn kernels from the cobs. Heat a heavy-bottomed saute pan over high heat until almost smoking. Place no more than two layers of kernels in the pan at a time, and dry-roast for about 5 minutes until smoky and dark, tossing continuously. Saute mushrooms in 1/2 tsp. of the oil until well cooked, about 10 minutes. Mix corn, mushrooms, remaining oil and the rest of the ingredients together. Serve salsa at room temperature or warm.

Double Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:
2 tb Lemon juice
2 tb Orange juice
1 Or 2 Poblano or Anaheim
-chiles; roasted and peeled
1-1/2 lb To 2 lbs tomatoes; seeded
-and quartered
8 Oil-cured, sun-dried tomato
-halves; chopped
3 tb Fresh cilantro or Parsley;
-chopped
1/4 c Fresh basil; chopped
1 tb Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Combine juices and roasted peppers in food processor; process briefly. Add fresh and sun-dried tomatoes; process into chunky sauce. Transfer to bowl; stir in remaining ingredients. Chill 3

Green Poblano Rice

1 2/3 cups chicken broth or water
2 fresh poblano chiles, stems and seeds removed, and roughly chopped
12 sprigs cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon if using salted broth, 1 teaspoon if using unsalted or water
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 cup rice, preferably medium grain
1 small white onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

The flavoring: In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the broth and chiles, bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer gently over medium to medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the chiles are very soft. Pour the chile mixture into a food processor, add the cilantro (stems and all), and process to a smooth puree. Press through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl and stir in the salt.

The rice: Wipe the pan clean, add the oil and heat over medium. Add the rice and onion, and cook, stirring regularly, until the rice is chalky looking and the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute longer.

Add the warm (or reheated) chile liquid to the hot rice pan, stir once, scrape down any rice kernels clinging to the side of the pan, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and check a grain of rice: It should be nearly cooked through. If the rice is just about ready, turn off the heat, re-cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes longer to complete the cooking. If the rice seems far from done, continue cooking for 5 minutes or so, retest, then turn off the heat and let stand a few minutes longer. Fluff with a fork, scoop into a warm serving dish, decorate with cilantro sprigs and it's ready to serve.

Advance preparation: The rice can be made several days ahead; turn out the fluffed rice onto a baking sheet to cool, transfer to a storage container, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat the rice in a steamer basket set over boiling water.

Variations and improvisations: An obvious variation is to use 3 or 4 long green (Anaheim) chiles, or to mix poblanos and long greens with hotter chiles like jalapeño, manzano or habanero. Grilled corn cut from 1 cob or 1 large grilled zucchini (cubed) are tasty vegetable add-ins. About 1 cup coarsely shredded roast (or barbecued) pork or smoked salmon, mixed in toward the end of cooking, will make green rice a full meal.

Makes 4 servings.

Stuffed Poblanos

I make this a lot. It's easy, and good!

I don't roast the poblanos first, I just cut the end almost off, stuff them, and use a toothpick to close them back up.

Stuffing: Spanish rice mixed with chopped fresh jalapenos, raisins (golden or regular), toasted pinenuts, enchilada sauce (kick it up if you want), and ricotta salata cheese.

Stuff. Roast on grill. Pour enchilada sauce over. Eat.

Chiles Rellenos

Ingredients:

• 4 cans (4 ounces each) whole green chiles, drained, rinsed, and seeds removed
• 3 cups shredded Mexican blend of cheeses
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine cheeses. Stuff each chile with 3 tablespoons cheese. Arrange chiles in a lightly greased 12x8x2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the stuffed chiles. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over chiles. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until set.
Chile Relleno recipe serves 6.

Chicken Mole Poblano

Ingredients:

2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
2 dried anaheim chilies, stemmed and seeded
2 dried chipotle chilies, stemmed and seeded
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup whole almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick, preferably Mexican, broken in pieces
1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 serrano peppers, stemmed and seeded
6 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Mexican, chopped

1 capon or large chicken, cut into 10 pieces
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chicken stock
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1 lime, juiced
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Cooked white rice, for serving

For the mole: Tear the ancho, anaheim, and chipotle chiles into large pieces and toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until they change color a bit, about 2 minutes. Put them into a bowl with the raisins and cover them with hot water. Soak unti softened, about 30 minutes. In the same skillet over medium heat, add the almonds, sesame seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, oregano, and thyme. Toast for 2 minutes, grind in a spice grinder, and add the powder to a blender. In the same skillet over medium-high heat add the olive oil, onions, garlic, and serrano. Cook until lightly browned, then add the tomatoes. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 to 15 minutes, then add to the blender. Add the chocolate and the soaked chiles and raisins to the blender along with some of the chile soaking liquid. Puree, adding more soaking liquid as needed, to make a smooth sauce. (This makes about 4 cups sauce, the recipe uses 2 cups, the extra can be frozen).

Pour the lemon juice over the chicken and season it well with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet and brown the chicken on all sides; remove the browned chicken to a plate leaving the oil in the pan. Pour 2 cups of the mole sauce into the hot skillet and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and return the chicken pieces to the pan. Simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the onion and radish slices into a bowl. Add the lime juice and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt. Mix well and serve with the chicken.

Serve over cooked white rice with the onion and radish salad. Garnish everything with cilantro leaves.

Stuffed Poblano Chilies Recipe

Stuffed Poblano Chilies Recipe

6 large poblano chilies
1 cup textured vegetable protein
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup cooked brown rice
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup whole-kernel corn
3/4 cup zucchini, chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno chili
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg

Boil poblano chilies covered in water until just beginning to soften,
3-5 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Slice each chili lengthwise being
careful not remove the stem. Carefully remove seeds.

Combine vegetable protein, breadcrumbs and vegetable stock and mix
well. Let stand until liquid is absorbed. Mix in rice, cheese,
vegetables, seasonings and salt and pepper to taste. Add egg and mix
well.

Pack mixture into each chili and place in a baking dish sprayed with
nonstick cooking spray. Bake covered at 350 degrees for about 45
minutes or until heated through and chilies are tender.

Makes 6 Servings
Serving Size: 1 stuffed chili

Roasted Poblano Guacamole with Garlic and Parsley

Roasted Poblano Guacamole with Garlic and Parsley

2 medium (about 6 ounces total) fresh poblano chiles
6 ounces (1 medium round or 2 plum) ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 tablespoons chopped flatleaf parsley
3 medium-large ripe avocados
Salt to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely crumbled Mexican queso anejo, or other dry grating
cheese like Romano or Parmesan
Radish slices for garnish

Preheat the broiler. Place the poblanos, tomatoes and garlic on a baking sheet. Set the sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler. Roast, turning every couple of minutes, until the chiles and tomatoes are soft, blistered and blackened in spots and the garlic is soft, 12 to 13 minutes total.

Place the chiles in a bowl, cover them with a towel, and let them stand 5 minutes, then wipe off the blackened skin. Pull or cut out the stems, seed pods and seeds; rinse quickly to remove any stray seeds and bits of char.

When the tomatoes are cool, peel off and discard their skins.

Slip the papery skins off the garlic.

In a mortar or with a food processor, make a coarse puree of the roasted garlic and poblanos (with both mortar and processor, it's best to start with the garlic, then add the poblanos); place the puree in a large bowl.

Chop the roasted tomatoes (for this recipe it's best not to use any of the juice from the baking sheet) and add to the poblano mixture along with the parsley.

Cut the avocados in half lengthwise around the pit, twist the halves apart, and remove the pits. Scoop out the flesh into the bowl with the flavorings. Using a potato masher or the back of a large spoon, coarsely mash everything together. Taste and season with salt, usually
a scant teaspoon, then add enough lime juice to enliven all the flavors.

Cover the mixture with plastic wrap, placing it directly on the surface, and refrigerate until you're ready to eat.

To serve, scoop the guacamole into a decorative bowl or Mexican mortar, sprinkle with the queso anejo and stud it with radish slices.

COOK'S NOTE: The roasted poblanos, tomatoes and garlic can be made a day or so in advance, but don't puree them until you are ready to make guacamole. The guacamole is best finished about 30 minutes before you need it, so the flavors can mingle. It will keep several hours tightly covered in the refrigerator; add the cheese and radish slices at the
last moment.

Chicken with Poblano Salsa

Makes 4 servings
Prep: 50 minutes
Bake: 15 minutes

Ingredients
1 large fresh poblano pepper
1 large clove, garlic
Nonstick spray coating
1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound total)
3 tablespoons refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed
1/2 cup chopped tomatillo or tomato
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons snipped cilantro

Ingredients
1 large fresh poblano pepper
1 large clove, garlic
Nonstick spray coating
1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound total)
3 tablespoons refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed
1/2 cup chopped tomatillo or tomato
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons snipped cilantro



Directions
1. To roast poblano pepper and garlic, quarter the pepper, removing seeds and membranes. Place pepper pieces and unpeeled garlic clove on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, in a 450 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pepper skins are charred. Remove garlic; set aside to cool. Bring up the edges of foil and seal around the pepper pieces. Let pepper stand for 20 minutes to steam. Peel pepper pieces and garlic. Chop pepper; mash garlic.
2. Meanwhile, spray a 2-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick coating; set aside. In a shallow dish combine the bread crumbs, chili powder, and cumin. Rinse chicken; pat dry. Dip chicken in egg product; coat with bread crumb mixture. Arrange chicken in prepared baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.
3. For salsa, in a medium bowl combine the poblano pepper, garlic, tomatillo or tomato sauce, tomato, onion, and cilantro. Serve sauce over chicken. Makes 4 servings.

Poblano Pepper Chilequiles

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Makes 4 Servings
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 slices bacon, chopped
* 6 corn tortillas, cut into triangles
* 1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped
* 1 poblano pepper, finely chopped
* 1 clove garlic, chopped
* 1 (12-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, drained and cut up; or 2 very ripe fresh tomatoes, chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup grated Monterey jack or mild longhorn cheese
* sour cream, for garnish

1.

Preheat a heavy skillet, preferably cast-iron, on medium-high for 1 minute. Add the olive oil and bacon. Cook just until the bacon is limp. Remove it from the oil with a slotted spoon. Add the tortilla triangles and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the tortillas and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the grease from the pan. Add the onion and poblano pepper to the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Over the vegetables in the pan, layer the corn tortillas, then the bacon bits, the tomatoes, then the 4 eggs broken individually, like fried eggs. Season with the salt. Reduce heat and cook, covered, for 2 to 3 more minutes. Cover with the cheese and let stand until the cheese has melted. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, taking care to give each person an egg.

All the Trimmings
Arrange the avocado, grapefruit, and pomegranate seeds on a platter in a pinwheel design. This not only looks good, but it allows people to take what they want. We love the drama of bringing the chilequiles to the table in the black skillet. Serve the refried beans in a nice bowl. We usually open a can of refried beans and microwave them in the serving bowl. To spruce them up, add 1/4 cup of salsa. We love Pace mild Pan dulce, or Mexican bread pastries, which are usually beautifully colored, unworldly pinks, blues, and yellows, can be purchased at any Mexican grocery store. Warm and serve them on a big platter. We like to cut them in half so that people can taste the pink ones and the blue ones!

This hot and spicy meal is best complemented by a good Mexican beer

Chile Rajas

Ingredients:

6 poblano chiles, roasted and peeled
1 onion, halved and cut in strips
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 4 to 5 pieces
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of ground cumin
Salt, to taste
6 to 8 ounces Oaxaca or mozzarella, grated

Stem and seed the chiles and cut into narrow strips. Sauté the onion in vegetable oil until soft and translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Do not brown. Add the chiles and cook 1 minute, then add the cream cheese and spices. When the cream cheese is completely melted, add the grated Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese in 6 to 8 handsful. Allow the cheese to melt without stirring and take care to keep the temperature low.

Serve in individual ramekins with a hot flour tortilla draped over the top of each bowl. To eat, the raja mixture is simply spooned into the tortilla, which is rolled or folded to keep the mixture from spilling out. Remember the trick of tipping one end up so you don't lose any of the delicious filling.

The chile and onion mixture may be prepared up to 2 days in advance and either refrigerated or frozen until ready to use. Be sure to reheat it before adding the two cheeses.

Rajas - Poblano Strips

Rajas De Chile Poblano -Chile Poblano Strips
Serving Size 6

8 chiles poblanos -- roasted and peeled
6 tablespoons peanut oil
1 1/2 medium onions -- thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Remove the seeds and veins from the chiles and cut them into strips
about 1 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. If the chiles seem too
hot-spicy, soak them in salted water for about 30 minutes.

Heat the oil and fry the onions gently, without browning them, until
they are soft.

Add the chile strips and salt to the onions in the pan, cover, and
cook gently for about 8 minutes.

You can always prepare these ahead of time and they will keep in the
refrigerator for several days. They will get soggy
if you freeze them.

Serve with meats or plain in tacos and guacamole.

Stuffed Poblano Chilies

Stuffed Poblano Chilies Recipe

6 large poblano chilies
1 cup textured vegetable protein
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup cooked brown rice
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup whole-kernel corn
3/4 cup zucchini, chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno chili
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg

Boil poblano chilies covered in water until just beginning to soften, 3-5 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Slice each chili lengthwise being careful not remove the stem. Carefully remove seeds.

Combine vegetable protein, breadcrumbs and vegetable stock and mix well. Let stand until liquid is absorbed. Mix in rice, cheese, vegetables, seasonings and salt and pepper to taste. Add egg and mix well.

Pack mixture into each chili and place in a baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake covered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until heated through and chilies are tender.

Makes 6 Servings
Serving Size: 1 stuffed chili

Santa Fe Stew with Chipotle Cream

Santa Fe Stew with Chipotle Cream

Yield: 6 servings

Stew
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 Anaheim chile, finely chopped
1 poblano chile, finely chopped
2 cups tomato sauce combined with 1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cups peeled and cubed squash (about 3/4-inch cubes)
1 (14.5 ounce) can yellow hominy, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon minced cilantro (optional)

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper and chiles. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add a couple tablespoons water if vegetables begin to stick.

Add the tomato sauce-water mixture, cinnamon and cumin. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the squash; cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the hominy, pinto beans, black beans and corn. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice and cilantro.

Chipotle Cream
1 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon mashed chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Stir together the sour cream and chipotle chile. Spoon a little on top of each serving of stew.

Green Chile Pesto

Green Chile Pesto

6 large long green chiles or 4 medium poblano chiles
3/4 cup pine nuts
2 cup lightly packed clean, dry basil leaves and tender stems
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Roast chiles, turning them often, until the peels are lightly and evenly charred. Steam the chiles in a closed paper bag until cool. Rub off the charred peels, remove the stems and seeds, and coarsely chop the chiles.

In a skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts, stirring often, until they are lightly browned. Remove them from the skillet to cool to room temperature.

In a food processor, combine pine nuts, basil, chopped chiles and garlic. Process, scraping down sides of the bowl once or twice, until smooth. Gradually add the olive oil through the feed tube. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the cheeses, salt and pepper. Tightly cover the pesto and refrigerate for up to three days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months, but add the cheese only after it is defrosted.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas (Enchiladas Suizas)

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas (Enchiladas Suizas)

1 (3 1/2 pound) broiler-fryer chicken,
cut into 8 pieces
3 fresh poblano chiles, roasted,
peeled, seeded, de-veined and diced
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Chihuahua or Monterey jack cheese
Sliced scallion tops
Red bell pepper, cut into slivers

Arrange chicken pieces in single layer in 12-inch skillet. Sprinkle with chiles, tomato, onion, garlic, salt and cumin; add stock. Heat over medium-high heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, until chicken is very tender, about 1 hour.

Remove chicken pieces from skillet with tongs, shaking off pieces of vegetables. Let chicken stand until cool enough to handle.

Skim and discard fat from top of stock mixture in skillet. Heat mixture to boiling; boil gently over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until reduced to 2 cups, 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer mixture to 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken. Tear chicken into coarse shreds.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat cream in medium skillet over medium heat until just below boiling; remove from heat. Dip 1 tortilla in hot cream until limp, a few seconds; remove, draining off excess cream. Spread 1/12 of the chicken (about 3 tablespoons) down center of tortilla; roll up and place seam side down on sauce in baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken. Pour remaining cream evenly over enchiladas. Sprinkle enchiladas evenly with cheese. Bake until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with scallion and bell pepper.

Corn Soup (Sopa De Elote)

Corn Soup (Sopa de Elote)

5 or 6 medium ears fresh corn, husked*
3 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt
2 fresh poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and de-veined
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large tomato, broiled
1/4 cup coarsely chopped white onion
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup whipping cream

* May substitute 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen whole kernel corn, cooked 4 to 5 minutes or until tender.

Cut corn kernels from cobs with knife. Scrape cobs with spoon to remove pulp. You should have 4 cups kernels and pulp. Combine corn, stock and salt in 3-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, until corn is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove 1/2 cup corn from pan with slotted spoon; reserve. Process remaining corn and stock, 1/2 at a time, in blender until smooth. Return to saucepan.

Cut chiles lengthwise into 1/2-inch wide strips; cut strips crosswise into 2- or 3-inch lengths. Sauté chiles in butter in medium skillet over medium heat until limp and tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon; reserve.

Process tomato, onion and oregano in blender until smooth. Heat butter remaining in skillet over medium heat until hot; add tomato mixture. Cook and stir until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add tomato mixture to corn mixture in saucepan; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes.

Remove soup from heat; gradually stir in cream. Cook over very low heat just until hot, about 30 seconds, without boiling.

Serve soup immediately, garnished with reserved corn and chiles.

Chile Pepper Casserole

Chile Pepper Casserole

8 whole large ancho/poblano or bell peppers
1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 green onions, sliced
4 eggs
2 cups milk
2/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

This recipe works with lots of different kinds of chiles. Roast peppers so that the skin blisters, then peel off most of the blistered skin. If using dried ancho/poblano peppers, soak them in hot water until soft. Remove stem and seeds, and continue with the recipe.

Split chile peppers lengthwise and remove seeds and pith. Spread chiles in a single layer in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the green onions, cilantro and most of the cheese (reserving some for the top) over chiles.

In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, flour, and salt together until smooth. Pour over chiles and cheese. Bake at 325 degrees F for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in custard comes out clean.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over casserole and return to oven for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with a tomato salad or salsa.

Bullpepper's Chile con Queso

Bullpepper's Chile con Queso, Mexico City Style (Queso con Rajas de Chile)

Source: - Bullpepper's, San Antonio, Texas - San Antonio Express-News

1 poblano chile
Additional serrano or jalapeño chiles (optional)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 cup shredded asadero cheese (or Monterey
jack or mozzarella cheese)
1/4 cup half-and-half
Salt, to taste
Corn chips or flour tortillas

Roast the poblano chile, then peel and remove stem and seeds. (If desired, roast a couple of serrano or jalapeño chiles at the same time; seed and mince.) Slice poblano into thin strips (rajas).

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic and sauté just until the onion is transparent. Add the poblano strips, cheese and half-and-half and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese is creamy, about 5 minutes.

Season to taste with salt. Transfer to a heated chafing dish and serve immediately, along with chips or tortillas. Recipe can be increased if desired.

Makes about 1 cup.